Masters 2017: William McGirt says it's 'huge' to play weekend still in contention

Despite playing in his first Masters, McGirt is 2 under through his first two rounds after shootinga 1-over 73Friday.

"I don't know that you could write this in a script and have it any better, unless you had a 10-shot lead," McGirt said after his round.

With overnight leader Charley Hoffman struggling, McGirt is in a position to be in contention over the weekend, and he thinks conditions will get even tougher Friday afternoon.

"The greens definitely picked up a good bit of speed overnight," McGirt said. "Yesterday all the wind gusts stayed in the same direction from the normal breeze, but today it switched all over the place. If it continues to do that this afternoon, I think the course will play tougher today than yesterday.

"I'm glad I don't have to hit another shot that counts today."

McGirt won the Memorial Tournament last year — his first PGA Tour win — which earned him a spot in the Masters. So far, he is taking advantage of his opportunity.

"Being able to play the weekend of my first Masters is huge," McGirt said. "And I haven't shot myself out of the tournament."

The Masters is primed for another exciting finish, and McGirt positioned to be a major part of the plot moving forward this week.

Masters leaderboard

Here’s a look at the live 2017 Masters leaderboard from Round 1 at Augusta National Golf Club.